Wikipedia
Scottish Champion Hurdle
The Scottish Champion Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ayr, South Ayrshire, over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. It is a limited handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in April.
| Grade 2 race | |
| Location | Ayr Racecourse Ayr, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1966 |
| Race type | Hurdle race |
| Sponsor | Coral |
| Website | Ayr |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2 miles (3,219 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Four-years-old and up |
| Weight | Limited Handicap |
| Purse | £40,000 (2021) 1st: £22,780 |
| 2022 | ||
| Anna Bunina | West Cork | Onemorefortheroad |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ||
| Milkwood | Anna Bunina | Tommy's Oscar |
| 2020-2011 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | ||
| Verdana Blue | Dino Velvet | Equus Amadeus |
| 2018 | ||
| Midnight Shadow | Claimantakinforgan | Chesterfield |
| 2017 | ||
| Chesterfield | Zubayr | Mohaayed |
| 2016 | ||
| Ch'tibello | Cloudy Dream | Clondaw Warrior |
| 2015 | ||
| Cheltenian | Sign of a Victory | Ifandbutwhynot |
| 2014 | ||
| Cockney Sparrow | Court Minstrel | My Tent Or Yours |
| 2013 | ||
| Court Minstrel | Sametegal | Silk Hall |
| 2012 | ||
| Raya Star | Local Hero | Clerk's Choice |
| 2011 | ||
| Sanctuaire | Bygones of Brid | Overturn |
| 2010-2001 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
| Overturn | Gloucester | Arcalis |
| 2009 | ||
| Noble Alan | Secret Tune | Harper Valley |
| 2008 | ||
| Border Castle | Takeroc | Kalahari King |
| 2007 | ||
| Emmpat | Ouninpohja | Premier Dane |
| 2006 | ||
| Noble Request | Faasel | Phar Bleu |
| 2005 | ||
| Genghis | Royal Shakespeare | Dalaram |
| 2004 | ||
| Copeland | Benbyas | Saintsaire |
| 2003 | ||
| In Contrast | Thisthatandtother | Westender |
| 2002 | ||
| Milligan | Vol Solitaire | Dibea Times |
| 2001 | ||
| Ulundi | Bring Sweets | Copeland |
| 2000-1990 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ||
| Mister Morose | Ballinclay King | Heart |
| 1999 | ||
| Fadalko | Potentate | Crazy Horse |
| 1998 | ||
| Blowing Wind | Kerawi | Large Action |
| 1997 | ||
| Shadow Leader | Zabadi | Edelweis Du Moulin |
| 1996 | ||
| Alderbrook | Escartefigue | Land Afar |
| 1995 | ||
| Home Counties | Simple Arithmetic | Batabanoo |
| 1994 | ||
| Corrouge | Atours | Court Master |
| 1993 | ||
| Staunch Friend | Native Mission | Ruling |
| 1992 | ||
| Granville Again | Jinxy Jack | Fidway |
| 1991 | ||
| Precious Boy | Reve De Valse | Jungle Knife |
| 1990 | ||
| Sayparee | Don Valentino | Aldino |
The event was established in 1966, and the inaugural winner was Blue Venom. For a period it was classed at Listed level, and it was promoted to Grade 2 status in 1991. The race used to be held on the day before the Scottish Grand National, but both events have taken place on the same day since 1994. Its present sponsor, CPMS, has backed the race since 2019.
Several winners of the Scottish Champion Hurdle have also achieved victory in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The most recent was Alderbrook, the winner of the latter contest in 1995. Captain Christy won the race in 1973, the year before winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup as a novice. Another Irish-trained horse, Golden Cygnet, suffered fatal injuries when he fell in the 1978 running.
Records
Most successful horse (2 wins):
- Sea Pigeon – 1977, 1978
- Birds Nest – 1979, 1981
Leading jockey (3 wins):
- Andrew Turnell – Bird's Nest (1979, 1981), Secret Ballot (1980)
- Peter Scudamore – Royal Vulcan (1983), Rushmoor (1984), Granville Again (1992)
- Richard Dunwoody – Alderbrook (1996), Blowing Wind (1998), Fadalko (1999)
- Richard Johnson – In Contrast (2003), Noble Request (2006), Cheltenian (2015)
Leading trainer (4 wins):
- Martin Pipe – Sayparee (1990), Granville Again (1992), Blowing Wind (1998), Copeland (2004)
Winners
| Year | Winner | Age | Weight | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Blue Venom | 7 | 11-01 | P Adams[a] | P Adams |
| 1967 | Originator | 6 | 11-01 | E Wilson | J Barclay |
| 1968 | Al-'Alawi | 5 | 10-08 | P McCarron | T Robson |
| 1969 | Mugatpura | 6 | 11-03 | T Jennings | Fulke Walwyn |
| 1970 | Easter Pirate | 6 | 10-00 | S Hayhurst | R Fairbairn |
| 1971 | Dondieu | 6 | 11–11 | Brian Fletcher | Denys Smith |
| 1972 | Coral Diver | 7 | 11–11 | Ken White | Fred Rimell |
| 1973 | Captain Christy | 6 | 12-00 | Bobby Beasley | Pat Taaffe (Ir) |
| 1974 | Santon Brig | 5 | 11-03 | Michael Dickinson | Tony Dickinson |
| 1975 | Comedy of Errors | 8 | 12-00 | Ken White | Fred Rimell |
| 1976 | Night Nurse | 5 | 12-00 | Paddy Broderick | Peter Easterby |
| 1977 | Sea Pigeon | 7 | 11-04 | Jonjo O'Neill | Peter Easterby |
| 1978 | Sea Pigeon | 8 | 12-00 | Jonjo O'Neill | Peter Easterby |
| 1979 | Bird's Nest | 9 | 11-08 | Andrew Turnell | Bob Turnell |
| 1980 | Secret Ballot | 6 | 10-07 | Andrew Turnell | Bob Turnell |
| 1981 | Bird's Nest | 11 | 11-06 | Andrew Turnell | Bob Turnell |
| 1982 | Gay George | 6 | 11-07 | Bill Smith | Fulke Walwyn |
| 1983 | Royal Vulcan | 5 | 11–13 | Peter Scudamore | Neville Callaghan |
| 1984 | Rushmoor | 6 | 10–13 | Peter Scudamore | Ray Peacock |
| 1985 | Sailor's Dance | 5 | 11-01 | Jimmy Duggan | Fred Winter |
| 1986 | River Ceiriog | 5 | 10-09 | Steve Smith Eccles | Nicky Henderson |
| 1987 | Positive | 5 | 10-08 | Paul Croucher | Kim Bailey |
| 1988 | Pat's Jester | 5 | 11-01 | Brian Storey | Dick Allan |
| 1989 | Aldino | 6 | 12-00 | Simon Sherwood | Oliver Sherwood |
| 1990 | Sayparee | 5 | 10-07 | Jonothan Lower | Martin Pipe |
| 1991 | Precious Boy | 5 | 11-02 | Lorcan Wyer | Mike O'Neill |
| 1992 | Granville Again | 6 | 11–10 | Peter Scudamore | Martin Pipe |
| 1993 | Staunch Friend | 5 | 11–10 | Adrian Maguire | Mark Tompkins |
| 1994 | Corrouge | 5 | 11-02 | David Bridgwater | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 1995 | Home Counties | 6 | 11-02 | James Moffatt | Dudley Moffatt |
| 1996 | Alderbrook | 7 | 11-07 | Richard Dunwoody | Kim Bailey |
| 1997 | Shadow Leader | 6 | 10-05 | Jamie Osborne | Charles Egerton |
| 1998 | Blowing Wind | 5 | 11–05 | Richard Dunwoody | Martin Pipe |
| 1999 | Fadalko | 6 | 10-04 | Richard Dunwoody | Paul Nicholls |
| 2000 | Mister Morose | 10 | 10–10 | Tony McCoy | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 2001 | Ulundi | 6 | 10-04 | Dean Gallagher | Paul Webber |
| 2002 | Milligan | 7 | 10-08 | Norman Williamson | Venetia Williams |
| 2003 | In Contrast | 7 | 10–13 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs |
| 2004 | Copeland | 9 | 10-01 | Jamie Moore | Martin Pipe |
| 2005 | Genghis | 6 | 10–11 | Tony McCoy | Peter Bowen |
| 2006 | Noble Request | 5 | 10-09 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs |
| 2007 | Emmpat | 9 | 10-07 | David Casey | Charlie Swan |
| 2008 | Border Castle | 7 | 09-13 | Nick Scholfield[a] | Andrew Haynes |
| 2009 | Noble Alan | 6 | 10-05 | Davy Condon | Nicky Richards |
| 2010 | Overturn | 6 | 10-07 | Timmy Murphy | Donald McCain |
| 2011 | Sanctuaire | 5 | 10-08 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2012 | Raya Star | 6 | 11-06 | Robert Thornton | Alan King |
| 2013 | Court Minstrel | 6 | 10-09 | Adam Wedge | Evan Williams |
| 2014 | Cockney Sparrow | 5 | 09-11 | Dean Pratt | John Quinn |
| 2015 | Cheltenian | 9 | 10–13 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs |
| 2016 | Ch'Tibello | 5 | 11-01 | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
| 2017 | Chesterfield | 7 | 10-05 | Daniel Sansom | Seamus Mullins |
| 2018 | Midnight Shadow | 5 | 10-04 | Danny Cook | Sue Smith |
| 2019 | Verdana Blue | 7 | 11-03 | Connor Brace | Nicky Henderson |
| no race 2020 [b] | |||||
| 2021 | Milkwood | 7 | 11-06 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Neil Mulholland |
| 2022 | Anna Bunina | 6 | 10-04 | Sean Bowen | John C McConnell |
- ^ a b amateur jockey
- ^ The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[1]
See also
References
- ^ "Coronavirus: Horse racing in Great Britain suspended until end of April". BBC Sport. 17 March 2020.
- Racing Post:
- 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
- 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
- 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- 2018, 2019, 2021
- Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Statistical Companion 1992–93. Portway Press. 1993. p. 172.
- pedigreequery.com – Scottish Champion Hurdle – Ayr.
- Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 70. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.